Medical science has evolved miraculously in the last few decades, and with it, people’s understanding of nutrition and a healthy lifestyle. However, a sizable proportion of people who have a variety of chronic illnesses, including those that are terminal, do not consume a balanced diet that is appropriate for their condition. Additionally, a lot of people experience both mental and physical side effects post-treatment. These side effects can be prevented with the right personalized nutrition care, eventually helping you cope with the treatment better. Samara Mahindra, founder and director, closely examined such cases where individuals were facing problems during and after their treatment. In an attempt to disrupt traditional practice and offer the required care, she started a venture that focuses on all the resources one might need to manage cancer effectively. The integrative platform, CARER—Personalized Cancer Care and Integrative Oncology Care Company, is based in New Delhi and Bangalore but caters to all of India and internationally. The business was established over three years ago; however, the organization has been deeply involved in working on pilots and clinical trials for multiple years prior.
It is a personalized digital oncology platform that provides cancer patients with customized nutrition and integrative programs developed by trained oncology experts, adhering to the best clinical practices in the field of oncology. These programs help manage the side effects of cancer, improve response to treatment, adherence, survival, quality of life, and reduce healthcare costs. The company works closely with cancer groups, oncologists, hospitals, pharmaceutical companies and insurance providers as well. The most significant change the company has created has been an interest in the quality of life rather than its quantity. “People are more concerned about how they are living today and what their lifestyles are,” Samara adds. “Patients and caregivers don’t call us anymore asking whether we can cure them, but instead if we can make them feel better.“
Samara portrays CARER as a social enterprise that focuses on the quality of life of individuals, giving them the power to heal themselves. Further, she states, it is the first and only evidence-based Integrative Oncology solution that has a proven methodology and track record to substantially decrease the side effects of cancer treatment, improve the quality of life of cancer patients, and increase adherence to medication/treatment. The non-clinical therapies delivered by CARER are completely personalized to each patient and delivered by medical experts in the domain, comprising of Onco Clinical Nutrition, Movement and Meditation Therapy and Mental Well-being Therapy for Cancer. One of the highlights of the company includes publishing a clinical trial of Integrative Oncology in the Journal of Precision Oncology, 2023.